3 Tips For Setting Up A Bathroom For Someone With Mobility Issues
If you or someone who lives in your home is dealing with mobility issues, whether it’s something that will be happening from now on or something that they’ll be able to heal from quickly, there are some changes that you might want to make to the bathroom to help make this space safer and more comfortable for them.
To help you learn how you can make your home bathroom more closely resemble those of an assisted living facility, here are three tips for setting up a bathroom for someone with mobility issues.
Redoing The Bathroom
Depending on how much help you or your loved one are needing in the bathroom and how much access you currently have within this space, you may want to consider redoing the bathroom in certain ways.
If you have the need for this and the ability to get this done quickly, you may want to make changes that could include things like widening the doorway for entering the bathroom, replacing the tub with a shower that they can easily move into, adding a bench in the shower for sitting, making space under the sink so that a wheelchair can easily fit there, rethinking the height of the countertops and work surfaces, and more.
By making changes in these areas, you should be able to make your bathroom work much better for people who are trying to deal with mobility issues.
Make Adjustments To The Shower
The shower is one of the most dangerous places in the bathroom for people who are dealing with mobility issues, as being on slippery surfaces when they’re wet can put them in danger of slipping and falling or other injuries.
To prevent things like this from happening, you’ll want to make sure that, at the very least, you have a shower chair or a transfer bench that you or your loved one can sit on when showering. This way, the need for standing is eliminated completely. Another great addition could be to put in a handheld showerhead so that you’re getting water right where you need it and not where you don’t.
Strategically Place Grab Bars
Moving around the bathroom when dealing with mobility issues can be a real struggle. But the grab bars strategically placed around the room, it can make moving in the space much easier.
In most cases, you’ll want to have grab bars anywhere where you or your loved one might need to stand up or change position. This could include around the toilet, near the bath or shower, and close to the door.
If you or someone you live with at home is dealing with mobility issues, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you adjust your bathroom for your needs.
